Slow Cooker Recipes: Part 1

The slow cooker is perhaps one of the most useful yet underappreciated small kitchen appliances around. Not only can you toss in a bunch of ingredients to cook while you go about your daily chores, but the meal will be bursting with flavor that has had hours to simmer. Most people tend to wait until the weather takes a turn for the cold season before digging the "crock pot" out of the back of cabinet, but the versatility and convenience the crock pot offers makes it a terrific cooking tool year round!

This article is the first in a series that features some ofmy favorite slow cooker recipes. I hope you enjoy them and continue to read the series!

Directions:Pour the broth into the slow cooker, then add the porkribs. Set the cooker to a high heat, cover, and cook forfour hours (or until the meat shreds easily with afork).Remove the meat from the cooker and shred it.Transfer the shredded meat to a Dutch oven and add thebarbeque sauce. Stir well, then bake at 350 degrees F forabout half an hour. Spread the barbeque pork meat onto oneof the bread halves, sprinkle a bit of pepper on it, thencover with remaining bread half.

Directions:Combine the chili beans, black beans, corn, beer, onion,tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes in the slow cooker. Addthe taco seasoning and stir well. Place the chicken breastson top of the mixture and spoon a little of the mixture ontop. Set the slow cooker to a low heat and allow it to cookfor five hours. Remove the chicken from the soup and shredwith a fork. Return the shredded chicken into the soup andcook for another two hours. Serve with shredded cheese,sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips.

Directions:Add the cream of mushroom soup, water, and dry onion soupmix into the slow cooker. Add the pot roast and ladle thesoup mixture over the roast. Set to a high heat and cookfor about four hours. If you want a more flavourful roast,cook on a low setting for eight hours. Serve with a ladleof soup mixture and veggies of your choice.

Directions:Put the soup, butter, onion, and chicken into the slowcooker. Top up with water until the chicken is covered.Cover the slow cooker and set to a high heat setting. Cookfor about five hours. Half an hour before serving, placethe biscuits in the slow cooker. Ensure the dough isthoroughly cooked before serving.